Sequentially fired single pilot multi-section gas burner and air supply structure

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed an integral three section gas burner construction and controls including automatic sequential lighting of the sections on demand and air supply structure. A pilot unit ignites a first burner section when gas is supplied. The first burner section includes some burners adjacent to a second and a third burner section, said second burner section and said third burner section being ignited from said respective adjacent burners of said first burner section on demand for more heat and supply of gas. Each burner section has a separate compartment for the supply of secondary air to the burners.

United States Patent Fichter et al.

[54] SEQUENTIALLY FIRED SINGLE PILOT MULTI-SECTION GAS BURNER AND AIR SUPPLY STRUCTURE [72] Inventors: Charles R. Fichter, 1212 Kilgore Drive, St. Louis, Mo. 63137; Lloyd P. Hunt, 2100 Filmore, Buffalo, NY. 14214 [22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 83,859

[52] US. Cl ..43l/283, 431/60 [51] Int. Cl ..F23q 9/08 [58] Field of Search ..431/12, 60, 281, 283

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,625,992 l/1953 Beck ..431/283 1,404,783 l/l922 McKee ..43 U283 Sept. 26, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 4,391 2/1914 Great Britain ..431/283 Primary Examiner-Carroll B. Dority, Jr. Attorney-Rogers, Ezell, Eilers & Robbins [5 7] ABSTRACT There is disclosed an integral three section gas burner construction and controls including automatic sequential lighting of the sections on demand and air supply structure. A pilot unit ignites a first burner section when gas is supplied. The first burner section includes some burners adjacent to a second and a third burner section, said second burner section and said third burner section being ignited from said respective adjacent burners of said first burner section on demand for more heat and supply of gas. Each burner section has a separate compartment for the supply of secondary air to the burners.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP26 I972 SHEET 2 OF 2 VALVE CAQL 5 ITCH 96 S EP gg vALw:

1L6 mvn/ TOPS: CHARLES RJ 'ICI-ITER STEPfl CONTROLL 12 VALVE GNITION RANSFORI IER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention the present invention relates generally to industrial and commercial gas fired steam and hot water boilers and warm air heating furnaces, and more particularly to a novel integrated automatically sequentially fired multi-section gas burner including air supply structure for firing industrial and commercial boilers and furnaces.

2. Description of the Prior Art Gas fired boilers and furnaces of all kinds have been in use for many years. Numerals patents have been granted directed to gas burners, controls therefor, and other parts, for firing such boilers. However, there has long been the need for an improved integrated automatically, sequentially fired multi-section gas burner and air supply structure for firing industrial and commercial steam and hot water boilers and hot air furnaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In brief, the present novel integrated automatically, sequentially fired multi-section gas burner and air supply structure as disclosed includes first, second and third gas burner sections which are automatically, sequentially fired on demand. A pilot light ignites the first section on supply of gas, the first section being of a configuration including some burners adjacent burners of the second and third sections. The second and third sections are ignited sequentially from the adjacent burning burners of the first section on demand for heat and supply of gas. A separate secondary air chamber structure is provided for each burner section. A suitable automatic electric control system is provided for effecting the desired sequential firing.

Objects of the present invention are to provide an integrated gas burner construction as aforesaid which reduces the required number of pilot lights to one, and ignites sections two, three, etc., from section one or other ignited section, which is ignited by the one pilot light to achieve greater safety and better control, which is of extremely sturdy construction adapted to function indefinitely without repair or maintenance, which is an effective package type unit, and which otherwise fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an integrated burner structure with all burner assemblies removed incorporating the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 4-4 of H63;

FIG. 5 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a mounted burner head assembly;

FIG. 7 is alongitudinal vertical cross-sectional view I taken on substantially the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a wiring diagram of an appropriate automatic electric control system for the present burner construction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numerals, 10 indicates generally an integrated burner construction including the principles of the present invention. Broadly, the burner construction 10 comprises a secondary air supply defining and gas burner structure supporting box 12, and a multi-section gas burner structure 14 mounted to the box 12. Integrating elements and automatic electric control means are incorporated, as appears below.

The box construction 12 is generally rectangular, as illustrated, including a bottom panel 16, side panels 18, end panels 20 and 22, and front and rear partial top panel segments 24. The interior of the box 12 is divided into air chambers 26, 28 and 30 by baffles 32 and 34, as is clear from FIGS. 3 and 5, for independent supply of secondary air to each of the sections of the burner structure 14. The panels and bafiles are integrated by welding, bolts, or otherwise, as desired.

The gas burner structure 14 includes a first section 36, a second section 38, and a third section 40 of burner assemblies 42, the latter two being automatically sequentially ignited in the use of the burner construction 10. Additional sections may be employed, if needed, or two sections may be used. To assist in readily locating the burner assemblies 42 of each burner section, in FIG. 1 each mounting cup 44 receiving a burner assembly 42 of the first burner section 36 is marked with a dotted line X. Each mounting cup 44 receiving a burner assembly 42 of the second section 38 is marked with a dotted vertical line. Each mounting cup 44 receiving a burner assembly 42 of the third section 40 is unmarked. It will be noted that the burner assemblies 42 of the burner section 36 are disposed in the shape of a T. Manifestly, other operative layouts may be employed.

A burner assembly 42 is shown in detail in FIGS. 6 and 7 and includes a top manifold 46 having outlets 48 with passages 50 for secondary air. A vertical mixing pipe 52 having a Venturi inlet 54 supports the manifold 46. The inlet 54 is adapted to receive gas from a nozzle 56 and primary air which is drawn into the Venturi with the gas in well-known manner. The mixing pipe 52 stands removablyin a mounting cup 44, which, in turn, extends downward through a round hole in and is supported through a flange 45 by a long flanged or U-cross section plate 53. The major portion of the bottom of the cup 44 is open to permit passage of gas and primary air. It will be noted from FIGS. 1 and 5 that there are five parallel flanged plates 53 which are welded or otherwise secured to the top panel segments 24 for support. More or less plates 53 may be used.

The nozzles 56 are mounted in branch manifolds 58, 60, 62 and 64 (FIGS. 3-5). The branch manifolds 58 and 60 supply gas to the first burner section 36, the former being connected into and the latter to a transverse header or manifold 66. The branch manifolds 62 supply gas to the second burner section 38 and are connected into a transverse header or manifold 68. The branch manifolds 64 supply gas to the third burner section 40 and are connected into a transverse header or manifold 70.

A longitudinal gas pipe 72 is connected at one end to the header 66 by a depending connector 74 and to the tandem branch manifolds 60 by angularly disposed connectors 76 (FIGS. 3 and 4). It will be understood that all manifolds 58, 62, 64 and the gas pipe 72 are closed at their ends remote from the headers 66, 68 and 70. The manifolds 60 are closed at both ends.

In FIG. 1 is shown a main gas line 80 to which are connected three leader gas pipes 82, 84 and 86 supplying gas to the transverse headers 66, 68 and 70, respec-' tively, see FIG. 4. A pilot line 88 tapped into the main gas line 80 furnishes gas to a single pilot light 90, which may be of flame rectifier type, disposed in position to ignite the burner assemblies 42 of the first section 36 (FIGS. 1 and 3). Each of the leader gas pipes 82, 84 and 86 is equipped with a manual shut-off cock 92 and a suitable pressure regulator 94. Additionally, the leader gas pipes 82, 84 and 86 have electrically operated gas valves 96, 98 and 100, respectively, operatively installed thereon. I

With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 8, the electrically operated gas valves 96, 98 and 100 (FIG. 1) are under control of boiler-pressure operated controllers 106, 107 and 108 (FIG. 8). The controllers 106, 107 and 108 are set for ascending order of operation and are open and closed in response to predetermined pressure settings of the heating boilers which the burner construction 10 serves. The pressure operated controllers 106, 107 and 108 are set at small pressure differentials, as is conventional, with controller 106 governing step 1, controller 107 governing step 2, and controller 108 governing step 3.,

FIG. 8 is the wiring diagram of a typical automatic electric control system for the burner construction 10, being essentially the Honeywell RA89OF Protectorelay solid state primary control modified to eliminate con- I trol of second and third pilot lights. Step 1 controller 106 calls for heat automatically, powering terminal 6 of relay 109 upon a demand. A load relay thus activated pulls in terminals 4 and 3 of relay 109, energizing ignition transformer 110 and pilot valve 111. Pilot is proven through flame rod 112, if flame is present and sensed. A flame relay pulls in terminal of 109, energizing the gas valve 96 of step 1. After the gas valve 96 is fully open, assuming more heat is required, a'built-in switch 1 14 of gas valve 96 energized the gas valve 98 of step 2. After the gas valve 98 is fully open, assuming still more heat is required, a built-in switch 116 of the gas valve 98 energizes the gas valve 100. The burner construction is now fully fired on all steps at the heat demand of boiler-pressure controllers 106, 107 and 108. It will be readily understood that the present controlled structures will fulfill the various load requirements of any of a wide variety of heating plants.

Since each step is governed by its predetermined pressure controllers 106, 107 and 108, the gas valves 98 and cannot open until the gas valve 96 is energized, and the gas valve 100 cannot open until the gas valves 96 and 98 are energized. As is detailed above, upon opening of the gas valve 98, the bumers 42 of section 38 are ignited from adjacent burners 42 of section 36. Similarly, upon opening of the gas valve 100, the burners 42 of section 40 are ignited from adjacent burners 42 of section 36.

It is clear that there has been provided a bumerconstruction which fulfills the objects and advantages sou ttherefor.

1S to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given by way of illustration and example. It is also to be understood that changes in form of the elements, rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalent elements, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a burner construction comprising supporting means, a plurality of burner sections supported thereby, each burner section including at least three burner assemblies, pilot means for igniting the burner assemblies of a first burner section, and means for igniting the burner assemblies of a second burner section directly from a burning burner assembly of the first burner section, said means comprising at least one burner assembly of said first burner section positioned closely adjacent to at least one burner assembly of the second burner section for ignition of gas from the latter by flame from the former on demand and means for igniting sequentially predeterminately the second burner section and the third burner section directly from predetermined burning burner assemblies of the first burner assembly, the burner assemblies of the first section being disposed generally in the form of a I" with the stem thereof intermediately positioned and closely adjacent to the burner assemblies of each of the second and third sections, said third burner section bounding said second section and ignitable by it as well as by the burner assemblies in the stem of said first section.

2. The combination of claim 1 and including a supported transverse header for receiving gas from a gas line, a first set of branch manifolds communicating said header and the first section burner assemblies forming the head of the T, a second branch manifold communicating said header with a predetermined number of burner assemblies of the stem of the T, and a third branch manifold communicating said header with another predetermined number of burner assemblies of the stem of the T. 

1. In combination, a burner construction comprising supporting means, a plurality of burner sections supported thereby, each burner section including at least three burner assemblies, pilot means for igniting the burner assemblies of a first burner section, and means for igniting the burner assemblies of a second burner section directly from a burning burner assembly of the first burner section, said means comprisinG at least one burner assembly of said first burner section positioned closely adjacent to at least one burner assembly of the second burner section for ignition of gas from the latter by flame from the former on demand and means for igniting sequentially predeterminately the second burner section and the third burner section directly from predetermined burning burner assemblies of the first burner assembly, the burner assemblies of the first section being disposed generally in the form of a ''''I'''' with the stem thereof intermediately positioned and closely adjacent to the burner assemblies of each of the second and third sections, said third burner section bounding said second section and ignitable by it as well as by the burner assemblies in the stem of said first section.
 2. The combination of claim 1 and including a supported transverse header for receiving gas from a gas line, a first set of branch manifolds communicating said header and the first section burner assemblies forming the head of the ''''T,'''' a second branch manifold communicating said header with a predetermined number of burner assemblies of the stem of the ''''T,'''' and a third branch manifold communicating said header with another predetermined number of burner assemblies of the stem of the ''''T.'''' 